uring the spring, the 18 boys from Grace Baptist Academy didn’t know if they would even have a football season after the Easter tornado from the previous year made assembling a full team impossible. Less than 12 months later, the eight-man football powerhouse are TSIAA state champions after rolling Lancaster Christian Academy 40-22 in the state championship.
The Golden Eagles’ improbable run through the eight-man game won’t stop in Tennessee though.
Grace Baptist and coach Bob Ateca are now headed to Panama City, Fla., where they will have a chance to play for a national title in the National High School Tournament.
“I think I’d be kind of surprised if someone had told me before the season that we’d win a state championship,” coach Ateca said. “We weren’t expecting that at that time.”
Senior quarterback Cooper Knecht threw for 25 touchdowns in 2021 as the team’s trigger-man. But it was his contributions on the ground that set him apart from most of the competition. He scooted for 21 touchdowns and 1301 yards on 133 carries, consistently gashing teams with his legs for long touchdown runs.
Knecht was far from a one-man band though. He benefited from having talented wide receivers like Caleb Adams (24 rec. for 599 yards and 8 scores), Cole Mason (27 rec. for 413 yards and 7 touchdowns), and Mason Long (21 receptions for 380 yards and 8 touchdowns) on the other end of scoring passes.
Do-everything running back Tyler Parrott didn’t put up the insane numbers of some of his teammates, but he was a steady presence in the lineup week in and week out. He had 562 total yards and six touchdowns from scrimmage for the Golden Eagles in 2021. Caleb Adams had 349 yards on the ground and five scores as well, and in total nine different Eagles had a carry during the season.
“Tyler is a quiet leader, and is a kid who statistically may not always show up but is someone who always competes,” coach Ateca said. “He’s consistent on defense, and he played well in the state championship and had 91 yards rushing.”
Two-way players aren’t quite a rarity on Friday nights, but they are downright a necessity in eight-man football. So many of the offense’s stars, such as Knecht (who doubles as a DB) and Parrott were regulars on the defensive unit. Bo Swanson, a junior lineman, opened running lanes on offense and clogged them on the other side of the ball.
“Our guys knew we had a very small roster, and that everybody had to help us to be successful,” coach Ateca said. “That allowed us to be a real team. You don’t win as individuals, you win as a team, and we won because we could rely on one another.”
With new facilities on the way and enrollment picking up steam, Grace Baptist will probably not remain in the eight-man world for much longer. Grace Baptist will play in the eight-man game again in 2022, but after that the school will have to decide whether or not to move back to 11-man football.
But for now, with their trip to Florida scheduled for this week, the Golden Eagles have a chance to make the best in the school’s history even more astounding. The first game is scheduled for Nov. 12.
“We consider it a reward for a great season, and we’re just going to go down there and enjoy ourselves and have a celebration of the season,” coach Ateca said. “If we win, that’s great, and if not, then it’s hard to top what we’ve already done. Which is to have an undefeated season and win a state championship.”
GRACE BAPTIST ACADEMY’S SEASON SO FAR
WK 1: GBA 106 vs Bradley Knights 0
WK 2: GBA 54 @ Ezell-Harding 6
WK 3: GBA 48 @ Evangel 28
WK 4: GBA 54 @ Providence 6
WK 5: GBA 48 vs Christian Community 14
WK 6: GBA 40 vs Lancaster 14
WK 7: GBA 44 vs Zion 0
WK 8: GBA 40 @ Franklin 33
WK 9: GBA 50 vs Tenn. School for the Deaf 6
WK 10: GBA 44 vs Franklin 28 (Playoffs)
WK 11: GBA 40 vs Lancaster 22 (Championship)
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